Cellist Anita Graef to Perform at W&L’s Lenfest Center The May 8 performance is sponsored by the university’s Concert Guild.

The Lenfest Center for the Arts
April 28, 2026

The Department of Music at Washington and Lee University presents cellist Anita Graef in concert at 7 p.m. on May 8 in Wilson Concert Hall in the Lenfest Center for the Arts.

The event is sponsored by W&L’s Concert Guild, which brings professional performing artists to campus each year for concerts and masterclasses. Tickets are required and can be purchased online or in person at the Lenfest Center box office.

Graef’s solo recital will feature works by female composers, including Sofia Gubaidulina and Kaija Saariaho, highlighting the expansion of the canon of repertoire for the cello in the 21st century, particularly by under-recognized compositional voices. The program will explore themes of cross-cultural convergence, soundscape transformation and musical adventure.

Graef is a Chicago-based cellist who has appeared extensively throughout North America and Europe in concerto, recital and chamber music engagements. She began playing cello at an early age, making her concerto debut at 12. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance and a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.

Order your tickets online today or call the Lenfest Center box office at 540-458-8000 for ticket information. Box office hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The cost is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $12 for W&L faculty and staff; W&L students receive free tickets by showing their student identification.

For a full list of events, visit the Department of Music’s website.